Gators ranked No. 1 in first coaches poll, plus other news and notes from practice

The first USA Today Coaches Poll of the season was released this morning, and not surprisingly, the Gators were ranked No. 1. Florida received 53 of 59 first-place votes – time for another Who Didn’t Vote for the Gators? crusade – while Texas came in second with four votes, and one apiece for Oklahoma and Southern Cal.

Said offensive lineman Matt Patchan: “What’s the coaches poll?” And he was serious. Most of the players don’t care about Coaches or Harris or AP or BCS.

“Our goal is to get to Atlanta,” offensive lineman Carl Johnson said, referring to the SEC Championship Game.

Other notes from Friday’s practice, the last practice open to the media this preseason:

Injuries

— Free safety Ahmad Black (back muscle) and running back Emmanuel Moody (ankle sprain) sat out practice again. Meyer said he hopes to have Black back early next week, but he is not sure about Moody. “He’s an injury magnet,” Meyer said of the oft-injured Moody. Cornerback Jeremy Brown (back) also spent most of Friday’s practice on the exercise bike.

— Receiver Carl Moore (back) returned to practice Friday. Receiver Andre Debose re-aggravated his hamstring injury at the end of practice but Meyer expects him to be OK.

— Quarterback John Brantley (ankle surgery) said he returned to 100 percent two weeks ago, but that his right leg muscles atrophied during his post-surgery layoff. “I didn’t use my right leg for about two months, so just getting the muscle back,” he said.

Watch out Tim Tebow, here comes … Joe Haden?

The Florida coaching staff looking for the next player to man the “Percy Position,” and that also means finding someone who can handle the occasional direct snap/Wildcat formation.

The solution may come from an unlikely source – junior cornerback Joe Haden, who played quarterback in high school.

“I watched him out there screwing around at the beginning of the summer,” Meyer said. “He threw me a football, and that thing came at me, tight spiral and hot. I said, ‘Do that again,’ and he did. And ever since then he’s been talking to me, talking to Scot (Loeffler), and that’s a possibility.”

Be ready for the Men of Troy

No, not the USC Trojans. The Troy Trojans, who come to the Swamp on Sept. 12. The Trojans went 8-5, 6-1 last year and have Meyer’s respect. The Trojans led LSU 31-10 in the second half last year before eventually losing 40-31, and also had an early lead against Ohio State.

“That Troy team is something,” Meyer said. “I’m telling you, that team has more prospects than some of the other teams we’ll play. As a matter of fact, a lot more of the teams we play.”

Puffed-up Patchan

Patchan, who weighed around 240 last year as a defensive lineman, is up to 288 pounds this year as he transitions to offensive tackle. He said the coaching staff wants him up around 300 pounds.

– Meyer said he’s still tinkering with his defensive backfield lineup. Last year, Haden and Janoris Jenkins started at corner while safety Will Hill played the nickel corner, but Hill doesn’t have the cover skills necessary to play man-to-man. Meyer said Jenkins could move over to nickel corner, freeing up a spot for Moses Jenkins or Markihe Anderson, two players who performed well Friday. As for Hill, the former Parade All-American said he is getting a little anxious being stuck on the depth chart behind Black and Major Wright. “Hopefully I’ll play more. Right now I just sit back and wait,” Hill said.

— In Meyer’s program, players must first prove themselves on special teams before seeing the field on offense or defense. Meyer raved about the punt coverage team on Friday.

“It’s a free for all,” Meyer said. “You got a good team when people are begging, crying, screaming to get on this. The punt block team will be an all-star team.”

Quote of the Day

“We’re not dumb. If we had a dumb team we’d have to do these special cheers or burn their jersey or some crazy thing like that. But we’re not dumb. Flip on the tape, they’re beating LSU 31-10 in the second half. It won’t be a song or dance, because they’re real.”

— Meyer, on if his players will need extra motivation to get pumped up for an opponent like Troy.

Quote of the Day, Part II:

— “The hardest thing about playing left tackle? Coach Addazio spitting on you during meetings.”